Swimming with whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef

Swimming with whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef is the reason I moved to Exmouth. When some Australians I met in Queenstown, New Zealand told me that Ningaloo Reef has incredible diving and that one of the most amazing things to do in Exmouth is swimming with whale sharks, how could I not pack up and go?!

The largest shark in the ocean cruises the Ningaloo Coast from March to September, and there are several tour operations who promise an awesome encounter with these gentle giants. And no matter which company, you’re sure to have an awesome time. Each tour operator promises a slightly different experience, though and it’s important to do your research. I chose to travel with Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive, and couldn’t be happier with my decision.

Here are a few things that made my day extraordinary:

Aliikai

Aliikai means Queen of the Sea in Hawaiian and she certainly reigns over Ningaloo! She’s a converted dive vessel and luxurious to boot! A covered, cushioned seating area, upper deck, and a spacious bow provide plenty of seating and perspectives for wildlife spotting. She is the largest purpose built dive vessel on the Ningaloo Reef, and she’s just been refitted for luxury.

Photo courtesy of Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive

Be sure to climb the ladder to the flybridge during your trip. Say hi to the captain, and be on the lookout for spinner dolphins or humpback whale spouts.

Photo courtesy of Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive

Photo courtesy of Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive

Nibbles and Noms

Do not fear… you will not starve while on Aliikai! Tea and coffee are always available and snacks are served throughout the day.

At lunchtime, choose from several salads, prawns, and sandwich ingredients to make a meal that is sure to satisfy. The team is happy to cater to all dietary restrictions, so be sure to let them know ahead of time.

Photo courtesy of Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive

Snorkelling

Throughout the day, you’ll have the opportunity to snorkel the Ningaloo Reef. Don’t miss an opportunity to hop in the water! The bombies are full of life and who knows what you might find. Dugongs, mantas and turtles are known to hang out in the area.

Photo courtesy of Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive

Ningaloo Reef is mostly made up of hard coral, so although it’s not brightly colored, its most definitely alive. Take care not to touch the coral or take anything. This reef is still growing, and we want it to be around for a very long time!

Photo courtesy of Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive

Swimming with Whale Sharks

You didn’t think I forgot the main event, did you? Swimming with a whale shark is an indescribable experience.

In my 19 years as a scuba diver, I’ve been on many dives where the instructor stated that the highlight of the season is a glimpse of a whale shark. We’d don our tanks and cross our fingers and hope to see a whale shark. And. It. Never. Happened.

Photo courtesy of Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive

Thanks to Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive’s spotter plane, a whale shark was located early on in our trip and Aliikai headed to meet her. The moment we entered the water to meet the whale shark was the culmination of 19 years’ anticipation. And it didn’t disappoint.

Swimming alongside the whale shark, I was in awe of the sheer size of the fish, but I was also drawn to the details. I noticed a cleaner fish’s tail sticking out of the whale shark’s ear and the school of tiny, brave fish swimming just in front of its enormous mouth. I observed the ridges along its back and the spots that are as unique as a fingerprint.

Photo courtesy of Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive

It’s hard to believe these giants are masters of disguise, but until the 1980s, there had only been 320 confirmed sightings of whale sharks worldwide. Those spots reflect and disperse light, making it difficult for predators to make out their outline.

Photo courtesy of Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive

Before we knew it, it was time to get back in the boat, where we shared observations and began preparing for our next swim.

Marine Biologist on Board

Jess is a marine biologist and she’s on board to answer any questions you might have. She’ll brief you before you jump in the water, giving a little information about whale sharks and how to swim with them responsibly. (Never get too close or touch a whale shark.) Then, she’s in the water, swimming with you as you geek out over coming face to fin with the world’s largest shark. And in the afternoon, she hosts a chat on the bow to learn even more about whale sharks, sharks and how we can protect them.

Over 1,000,000 sharks are killed each year to respond to consumer demand. Don’t be one of them! Sharks get a bad rep, but they’re necessary to keep the marine balance in check.

Underwater scooters

Why swim when you can scoot? When conditions are right on the afternoon snorkel, the Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive team will pull out the underwater scooters. Dip, dive and fly though the water.

Photo courtesy of Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive

If you’re lucky, you may even spot a leopard stingray like I did!

Photo courtesy of Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive

Bubbles and biscuits

Have sweeter words ever been typed? How could a day swimming with whale sharks possibly get any better? Oh yeah.. how about a glass of champagne and a delicious homemade melting moment?! Yep. This tour just reached epic status.

Picture Perfect

A picture is worth a thousand words and Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive includes these precious moments so you can relive this day over and over again.

By the end of the tour, we were exhausted and full of electric energy all at the same time as we reached the Tantabiddi Boat Ramp. My brain was trying to process the fact that I’d experienced a dream come true while combatting the fatigue of keeping up with a creature about 300 times my size. I was hardly off the boat before I started dreaming about the next time I’d get to swim with these majestic creatures again.

The Sweet Wanderlust tip: If you’re passing through Exmouth on a holiday, be sure to book your tour for the first day of your stay. In case you don’t get to swim with a whale shark, Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive offers a second chance, free of charge.

Comments

Gorgeous shots. I’ve been debating about doing this. I really want to swim with whale sharks but Exmouth is pretty far out of the way, AND I will probably see whale sharks in Indonesia this year. Ah, tough choices….

Oh my god, I am insanely jealous! I have been dying to visit Ningaloo and swim with the whale sharks, and sort of ashamed not to have yet even though I’ve lived in Australia my whole life. This experience just looks picture perfect, from the whale sharks to the champagne! And how about those scooters haha how good! Looks like I’ll be doing this in Mexico in the next year before I make it to Ningaloo, but fingers crossed for some day. Great read!

What beautiful pictures! I absolutely love snorkeling. With being an island and all, Australia seems like the ultimate destination for underwater activities! You’ve most definitely made me super jealous ?

Subscribe

Subscribe!

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Follow me on Instagram! @TheSweetWanderlust

I’m just a girl. Standing in front of an ice cream cone. Asking it to not melt. This is my own Notting Hill romance. There’s love. There’s suspense. There’s a moment when it all might fall apart. And there’s a sweet conclusion. @milkcoollondon , I think you might be THE ONE!

Marhaba means welcome in Arabic, and that’s exactly what I felt in #Rabat at @riad .marhaba! The riad was purchased 4 years ago and has been painstakingly renovated to reveal its full glory (think scraping ugly green paint off every surface to find beautiful stone beneath). The rooms are enormous and the overall feel is unexpected luxury. Plus, I kind of fell in love with Rosa, the feline boss of the riad. ❤️ I’ve often found that the most beautiful things are the unplanned. Have you fallen in love with a city or country unexpectedly?

While on tour yesterday, @majestictourguide (Morocco’s youngest guide!!) was showing us the community baker. Dubbed the ‘most clever man in town’ the baker must remember a symbol for every family, which is marked into the bread baked specifically for each family. I was listening (I promise!) but I got distracted by the halwa d lcoco in the case. Thankfully, Fatima Zahrae Fares was very understanding and bought a couple cookies to keep me going for the rest of the tour as we explored the tannery, learned how silk is made without worms and found Argan oil at a shop Bill

PLAY. We don’t do it often enough. But when your riad has a closet full of 1920s dress up clothes to celebrate former resident, Josephine Baker, you play all day. And then you beg not to leave. @marrakechriad , I’ll be back!! What’s your favorite childhood pastime?

Yes, it’s topped with sugar. No, it’s not dessert. Let me explain ‍♀️ I tried the pastilla poulet, filled with a mixture of chicken, almonds, cinnamon and other spices on the first stop of yesterday’s @moroccanfoodtour . I thought this would be the highlight of the trip, peaking at stop one, but as we walked the labyrinth of winding streets, tasting honey-soaked cookies, fried sardines and sipping fresh fruit juice, I fell even more in love with Morocco. We saw dried sheep heads, hanging cow feet and brains (that ARE food, but we didn’t eat it) and cute baby turtles (that

If you’re one of the lucky ones to receive a spot at the table for Frank Underground‘s exclusive dining experience, you’ll receive an email with a confirmation, an address, a time, and a menu. You’ll know your dinner companions, because they’re the ones lingering apprehensively by the callbox. But once you’re buzzed in and you […]

A couple years ago, I saw this video of people bouncing on trampolines underground in a part of Wales called Snowdonia and added the activity to my bucket list. Not long after that, I saw a video of the fastest zip line in the world. Also in Snowdonia. I booked a bus ticket from London […]

Brighton is a colorful, quirky seaside resort town just an hour train ride away from London. On a recent day trip, I made it my goal to consume as many desserts in Brighton as possible. With all the desserts I ate, I could have buzzed back to London on sugar power alone… but alas, the […]